hickman



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

' J. 11-310mm. I DEVICE FOR SHIPPING BOATS RUDDERS.

Patented July 28, 1891 Inventor:

o-Lrmo., WASHINGTON, n. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' J. D..HIGKMAN.

DEVICE FOR SHIPPING BOATS RUDDERS.

Patented July 28, 1891.

III Pl Invem'for JEMJMWEL'CZW, 7767 M1447 Attorne fiaa. QM

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. D. HIGKMAN. DEVICE FOR SHIPPING BOATS BUDDER-S. No. 456,820.

Patented July 28, 1891.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

JOHN DAMPIER HICKMAN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

DEVICE FOR SHIPPING BOATS RUDDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,820, dated July 28,1891.

Application filed March 3, 1891. Serial No. 383,644. (No modeLl Patentedin England January 1, 1891, No. 56.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN DAMPIER llICK- MAN, engineer, of PortsmouthRoad, Thames Ditton,London, in the county of Surrey, Eng- 7 land, asubject of the Queen of Great Britain, have invented Improvements inDevices for Use in Shipping Boats Rudders, (for which I havereceived-Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 56, dated January 1, 1891and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for use in shippingboats rudders, and has more especial reference to preventing a rudderslipping too far through a guide for a rudder to properlyengage in thegroove on the stern-post.

It consists in providing for the rudder being locked in a hinged guideat the proper point by its being turned over into the horizontal planeafter the bar or rod (which is for the purpose of this present inventiona round rod, held at a short distance clear of the back of the rudder)on the back of it has been entered into the guide and pushed out-\vard,When the middle strap of the rudderor an equivalent extension ofthe rod on the back thereof will be stopped by one of the horns of theguide. The rudder is then to be swung up into the vertical position,turned back into the vertical plane of the keel until the nose of therudder-rod bears against the groove on the rudder-post, and dropped,when the said nose will engage properly in the said groove.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is, as to the fulllines, a side elevation of a boats stern and rudder post, With therudder shipped and hanging in the plane of the keel. Fig. 2 is, as tothe full lines, an elevation of the rudder-post and the rudder, when thelatter is stopped by the guide. Fig. 3 is, as to its full lines, a plancorresponding with Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is an elevation illustrating amodification of myinvention. Fig.5 is

a detail transverse section taken on the line at {U of Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A is the rudder, and a a rod of circularcross-section. The latter is held at a short distance from the back ofthe rudder, but parallel with it, by

double straps I) c d, respectively, made fast onto the rod a byjunction-pieces b c (l. The straps are made fast to the rudderin theWellknown way. The distance between the rod a and the rudderA is notless than the thickness of one of the converging horn-like extensionsdescribed farther on.

E is a plate, preferably of metal. It is fixed vertically and centrallyupon or to the face of the rudder-post or stern, according to the shapeof the boat. Fig. 1 shows it as fixed by means of straps e c and screws6' to the rudder-post F. The top of the plate E is lower than the top ofthe rudder-post, which latter is made higher than usual, for a rea sonto be explained farther on.

f f are a pair of converging horn-like extensions of the face of theplate E. The dis tance separating their converging edges is not lessthan the diameter of the rod (1, and, in respect to their length, thesehorns extend from the top of the plate E, preferably not more thanhalf-way down it. Fig. 1 shows their length as about one-sixth that ofthe plate.

g g are a second pair of converging hornlike extensions of the plate E.The inner edges of both extensions are arcs of one and the same circle.The distance separating their converging edges is less than the diameterof the rod a. The top of this second pair of extensions is preferablyjust beneath the level of the middle strap, and they'1I. 6.,

the extensionsmayextend nearly to the are joined at their bases, therebymaking this part of the guide identical in plan with a transversesectionof the plate E and the pair of extensionsgg. It is to be understood thatthe space embraced by either pair of horn-like extensions g g on theplate E or those of the guide I is circular and large enough to receivethe rod a. It is hinged or pivoted upon the top of the rudder-post, or

5 upon an equivalent vertical extension of the boats stern,by means ofanysuitable device. The figure shows this device as consisting of a boltpassing through the cheeks t" t" and the top of the rudder-post F. Thechecks to 'L' r are of the proper length for allowing the guide to lievertically coincident with the said extensions when it is in theposition illustrated in Fig. 1. The said checks are made in one piecewith the guide.

I Fig. 1 shows the rod or as held to the rudder at a short distancetherefrom by three duplex straps, one I) at the top of the rod, one cl alittle above the bottom of the rod, and a third 0 half-way between. Thejunction-piece b of 2:) the top strap 1) with the rod a acts as a stopand also supports the weight of the rudder upon the guide I. WVhen thereare three straps, as shown in the figures, there are three vacant spacesbetween the rudder and its rod.

2 5 The lowest 7' provides room for the socket h.

The middle one j permits either of the hornlike extensions or sides ofthe guide I to enter between the rod and the rudder in front of the junction-piece c and also to embrace 0 the said rod when the rudder isturned over into the horizontal plane, as mentioned above and describedmore particularly further on. The j unction-piece 0' also serves as thelocking-piece. In respect of'thickness, this look- 3 5 ing-piece is thinenough to pass between the converging edges of the horn-like extensionsof the guide I, described hereinafter. The top space j is only toreceive one horn-like extension of the guide when the rudder is 40turned either to port or starboard, and may be as long as shown in Fig.1 or as short as illustrated in Fig. 4, provided itis long enough toreceive the said extension when the rudder is put about.

5 I do not confine myself to three duplex straps-the number shown-and ifthere be no middle strap to provide a j unction-piece c to act as thelocking-piece, then a special locking-piece must be provided in therelative position shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

K is a line, and 70 an anti-friction pulley provided for unshipping therudder.

My invention, constructed as above described, is used and operates asfollows: The

guide I is swung back toward the inside of the boat, and the boatman,holding the rudder in his hands, pushes the nose of the rod a into theguide, turns the rudder over to either hand through a quarter of acircle, and

pushes it forward until the junction-piece c bears against the guide.This position is shown by the dotted lines 1 in Fig. 1. The rudder isnext raised into the horizontal position illustrated by the dotted lines2 of Fig. 1, the full lines of Figs. 2 and 3, and the dotted lines 3 ofthe last-mentioned figures, according as to which hand it had been swungover to the right or the left after the rod had been entered into theguide. The rudder is now lockedt'.e., it is prevented from dropping whenit is thrown up into a vertical position by engagement of thelocking-piece c with the guide I. It is next swung up into the verticalplane until the rod to rests against the plate E, between the extensionsff. This po- 7 sition is illustrated by the dotted lines 4 of Fig. 2,from which it will appear that the relative positions of thelocking-piece o and the extensions 9 g hold the nose of the rod a justabove the latter. The are 5 of Fig.1. shows the are described by thesaid nose during the motion last described. The rudder is next turnedinto the plane of the keel, care being taken to keep the rod (t in.close contact the while with the plate E. This motion 8 disengages thelocking piece 0 from the guide, and the weight of the rudder takes therod down between the said extensions g g and into the socket 7r, therebycompleting the shipping of it. The line K may be used to steady itsdescent.

I claim The combination of guide consisting of a pair of converginghorn-like extensions, whose inner edges are arcs of one and the samecir- 5 cle, and whose converging edges are separated by a distance lessthan the diameter of the rod on the back of the rudder, said guideadapted to be pivoted upon the top of the rudder-post or of the boatsstern, arod fixed to the back of the rudder and separated from it by adistance not less than the maximum thickness of one of the saidhorn-like extensions, said rod being circular in cross-section and of asize adapted to fit and move Within the said guide, a locking-piecebetween'the rudder and the said rod, adapted to engage the horn-likeextensions of the guides as the said rod is being pushed through theguide, the rudder being then held in the horizontal plane, and thinenough to pass between the said extensions, and a pair of horn-likeextensions adapted to be fixed on the rudderpost, or on the boats stern,of the same size and contour as those of the guide, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atfixed my signature, in presenceof two witnesses, this 26th day of January, 1891.

JOHN DAMPIER HICKMAN.

